Erased
by Hiyume
Summary: Soul and Maka leave on an everyday mission; or so they thought. After getting back from this blood-drenched battle, Soul's heart breaks into a million pieces. "Who the hell are you?" SoulXMaka fanfic. T-rating for later chap. First fanfic, R&R please :3
1. Erased

"Oi, Maka, slow down a bit. Why're you so excited?" Soul grumbled loudly as the two walked down the school hall. Classes were finished for the day. More extracurricular lessons were posted up on the board, but Soul just wanted to go home. He was tired as hell because he hadn't gotten enough sleep last night.

"Baaaaka! Don't you remember? We've got 96 souls already! We're almost finished getting the number of souls we need to make you a Death Scythe!" she exclaimed half-heartedly. She spoke while staring at the board the whole time, contemplating what mission they should take on. "Here! This one!" She pointed at a sheet of paper.

"Eh? What is it?" Soul snatched the sheet off the board and read it out in his mind. _Souls have been mysteriously disappearing in the town of Yokano. Find the threat and eliminate it as quickly as possible. Mission Requirements: Soul Perception._ "Yokano isn't too far from Death City…"

"So? We gonna take it?"

"… Hmm." Soul replied, handing the sheet over so she could bring it to the desk. He really just felt like going home. Not only because he was tired, but also because he felt something odd. Like his mind was telling him that they should stay away from this mission…

Soul stopped his motorcycle at the edge of town. That aura of danger in his mind became stronger with each step they took. "It's so… eerie…" Maka breathed. The town seemed so deserted. The streets were quiet, hardly any people passing by.

"We should probably start asking around…" Soul mumbled, touching the shoulder of the first person they passed by. The man turned with a sudden jolt, his pale eyes glaring angrily at him.

"You… you'z from Sh-Shibusssennnn?" The man slurred. His glare became heavier, and without warning, he swung a punch at Soul's face, hitting him directly in the jaw.

"S-Soul!" Maka cried.

"L-Leave us alooonnnunnn… an' leavvvve Karasu-sama to herr resrcchhhh. Sh-She's helped us all…" the man scolded, and he left without another word. Soul cursed incoherently under his breath as he rubbed his chin.

"'The hell's with him?" he hissed.

"He said… Karasu-sama… Is that who's….?" Maka pondered. As she said this, a large Soul Wavelength hit her for a split second, knocking the breath out of her lungs. On instinct, she pointed to where the Wavelength came from. "Over… there…"

"… Whoever this idiot is, they suck at concealing them self." She was pointing directly at the largest building in the center of the town. In large bold Kanji at the top, it said 'Research Lab'. "Okay… let's go…"

The entrance swung open with the lightest touch, yet the room ahead was pitch black. "Soul…"

"Got it." His form changed into a black and white scythe, the handle landing in Maka's hands. She took a step in and the wooden floor creaked, echoing down the lifeless hallway.

"Welcome…" A voice whispered into Maka's ear. With a scream, she turned and swung her scythe behind her. But nothing was there.

"Oi! Tiny Tits, what the hell are you doing?!" Soul whispered menacingly. Before she could answer, the lights flickered on, and the hallway was revealed. A woman stood at the end, her head ducked, staring at the floor. She wore a lab coat, and her long black hair covered her face. The meister stood cautiously, her scythe raised. The woman laughed and raised her head, revealing her pale-skinned, gray-eyed face.

"Is there anything I could help you two with?" she grinned, taking her hands from her pockets.

"K-Karasu, we're here to take your soul for what you've done!" Maka hissed, taking a cautious step backwards. The woman laughed as if she was joking.

"Are you sure you can?" she smirked, raising one of her hands, palm away from her face. "Krrrr, Crowwww, Krrrr, Crowwww…"

"Maka! She's a witch! Watch out!"

"Beak cannon!" Karasu yelled, millions of tiny, needle-like objects shooting out of her palm. Maka jumped away before she was hit. She landed a bit closer to Karasu, starting to twirl her weapon around so she could get closer. The needles bounced off of the scythe, landing without a sound on the ground. "Ne, do you really think close combat is a good idea?" the witch mocked. The needles suddenly stopped, and for a split second, Maka let her guard down. It was all the witch needed. Karasu's hand was already around her throat, lifting her off the ground as she choked to death. Her hands immediately flew up to try and pry the hands off, dropping Soul in the process.

"Shit! Maka!"

"Don't ever underestimate a witch, you stupid brat." Karasu growled. "Krrr, Crowwww, Krrr, Crowwww."

"MAKA!" Soul screamed frantically, turning back into his human form. But there was nothing he could do. He watched in horror as the witch's arm formed a blade and stabbed Maka, straight through her stomach. His body was frozen in shock and despair, each muscle unwilling to move. Karasu let go of Maka's throat, and her body slid down the blade, making the hole in her stomach deeper.

"Stupid girl." the witch sighed, flinging Maka across the room. She hit a wall and collapsed on the ground. Her breathing was quick and short, each exhale coming out as a rasp.

"Shit… shitshitshitshitShitShitSHIT!" Soul hissed loudly, his arm transforming into a blade. He plunged it through the witch's abdomen with all his might, his anger overtaking his movements. He stood and kicked Karasu, causing her to fall to the ground. The witch laughed on the floor.

"What does that Shinigami teach you in that school?" she cackled, her body suddenly turning into crows. "I'll say this once more before I depart. Do not underestimate witches, boy." she laughed, and with that, the crows flew away. As soon as she was gone, Soul ran over to Maka, kneeling down in the blood that pooled around her body. Her eyes were still open, but they were dull and half-lidded. He placed his hand over her wound in a weak attempt to stop the flow of blood.

"Idiot, stop bleeding or you'll die!" he hissed, taking the hand that lay at her side. Maka squeezed his hand lightly.

"S… Soul… Ku…" before she could finish, her eyes closed, and her hand became limp in his grasp. He stared in disbelief.

"Hey, Maka! Stop being stupid okay? This isn't cool!" he choked frantically, squeezing her hand harder as if it would bring her back to him. She wasn't dead. She _couldn't_ be dead. Not after all they'd gone through. Not after the many times he'd protected her. But… he couldn't protect her this time…

A single tear escaped his eye. He lowered his head in defeat. "Damnit… Damnit! Makaaaa!"

_What is this… pain? My stomach… It hurts… But why? Someone, please stop it… I don't want to die!_

Maka's eyes shot open in shock. Her vision was blurred, but she could hear the steady beep of a heart monitor nearby. The pain from her stomach was still evident, but not as amplified as it had been in her sleep. As her vision adjusted, she could see that she was in a hospital bed. A familiar face towered over her form. "… Nygus-sensei...?" Maka mumbled. The substitute nurse smiled behind the bandages on her face.

"Ah, Maka-chan! You're awake earlier than I expected. It's a miracle you survived too!" Maka took a quick glance down at her stomach, taking note of the thick layer of bandages wrapped around her stomach.

"… What happened?" Maka tried lifting her hand, but something stopped it from moving. She raised an eyebrow and looked over to see the cause. She was surprised to see a hand on top of hers. She followed the figure with her eyes, looking from his hand, up his arm and to his face, giving the white-haired boy a strange look. He was smiling with relief.

"Ah, yes, your latest mission was dangerous. You were stabbed through the stomach and almost died of blood loss. Your buddy here rushed you over and saved your life." Nygus explained. Even with the explanation, Maka ripped her hand from the red-eyed boy's grasp, giving him a horrified expression. The boy blinked.

"Eh? Maka… is something wrong…?" the boy inquired.

"Oh hell YES there is! Who the hell are you!?"


	2. First Impressions

**ooc/Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater.**

"Who the hell are you!?"

Those words resonated through Soul's mind as he stared at Maka's bewildered face in pure shock. "M-Maka… you're kidding, right?"

"Does this face look like it's kidding to you?" she deliberately pointed at her face, even though he was clearly staring at her. He couldn't reply to her. His body was frozen where he sat.

"M-Maka-chan, what are you saying?" Nygus stuttered, her hand resting on Maka's shoulder.

"Are you deaf!? I don't know him, so why's everyone so shocked!?" she exclaimed furiously. Soul stood then, his chair screeching against the tiled floor, echoing through the silent room. His face was hidden behind his hair as he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

-skip-

"Soul! Hey! How's Maka doing, buddy?" Black Star grinned as he caught up with Soul in the hallway. He and Tsubaki had left class after receiving the news about Maka's injury. Black Star placed a hand on Soul's shoulder, forcing him to stop walking. "Oi, Soul. Answer me! How is she?" he persisted, shaking his shoulder vigorously.

"Why the hell don't you go and check yourself, baka!" Soul's sudden outburst made Black Star jump away in fear. He was glaring, his teeth showing in a menacing scowl. Though his face showed anger, his eyes were watery, almost as if he was trying to hold back tears; Black Star wasn't helping. With one last angry glance, Soul walked off, leaving Tsubaki and Black Star in the hall.

"Why did Soul get so mad at meee?" Black Star whined, tears flowing down his cheeks. Tsubaki ignored his over-exaggerated crying and stared down the hallway with a concerned expression.

"Soul-kun never acts like that… Something really bad… must have happened to Maka-chan…"

-skip-

"I've lost… my memory?" Maka mumbled, repeating what Nygus had just said. "But I remember everything! I remember this whole year at Shibusen, and how Dr. Stein is our teacher now, and the missions we've taken on… how could I've possibly lost my memory?"

"… In those missions… do you remember yourself talking to your weapon or making any connections to it?" Nygus prodded. Maka thought hard for a second, but her memory came up blank. She shook her head with a sigh.

"Ah, I see. So you've just forgotten about Soul himself… ah, but don't worry about it. You'll remember in time." Nygus muttered, "You're free to leave. I'd suggest staying home and taking it easy for at least a week, since the wound and stitches are still a little fresh. Here, make sure you re-wrap your stomach at least once every two days." With that, she handed Maka a large roll of bandages and returned to her desk.

"Ah… Domo…" Maka replied quietly, sitting up on the bed. A sharp pain pierced through her stomach from the movement, causing her to flinch, but it disappeared a soon as it came. She stood and walked out the door, shutting it quietly as to not disturb Nygus while she looked over her papers. Did she really know that strange boy? Had he actually saved her? Maka shook her head in disbelief. _Psh. What am I thinking? Of course he didn't! There's no way that I could forget something like that!_ She kept repeating this through her mind, but she felt a bit doubtful… somehow…

"Ne ne, Maka-chan! Did you bring me any food?" Blaire purred as Maka stepped through the door, rubbing herself against the girl's ankles.

"Sorry, Blaire, I didn't have any time to go shopping, and Nygus-sensei says I have to take it easy…" Maka replied with a sigh. She shut the door and slammed her head against the hard frame. _Why do I doubt myself…?_

"… You're back?" A familiar voice made Maka jump and turn to see who'd spoken. She pointed an accusing finger at the white-haired boy she'd seen earlier.

"What the hell are you doing in…" she cut herself short. The boy, who apparently went by the name Soul, eyed her with a dull expression before heading into the kitchen. Her arm dropped limply to her side. _So… I was wrong?_

-skip-

"So… the witch's name is Karasu?" Shinigami-sama pondered. Nygus nodded.

"From the information given by Soul, it seems that the witch is conducting experiments in Yokano. He explained that the town didn't seem right and all the humans residing in the town seemed… possessed. It seems she is experimenting with the townspeople." Shinigami-sama thought for a moment.

"Hmm… tell Stein that I'm sending him to Yokano tomorrow to investigate that research lab. We need to learn more about this witch…" he ordered. Nygus nodded in agreement and left without a word. "We probably should have checked that town out a bit more before posting that mission. Poor Maka-chaaan…"

-skip-

Maka was up until the late hour, staring aimlessly at the ceiling with a blank look. She was tired, but the day's events were keeping her from dozing off. The expression in Soul's eyes whenever she glanced at him… she'd never seen such a sorrowful gaze, not even from her Father. What had they been before she'd lost her memory…?

She sat upright, suddenly determined. She got off of her bed and made her way out of the room, tip-toeing as to not wake her sleeping roommate. She made her way to his room, and without taking a breath, creaked the door open with a gently push of her fingers. He was sleeping soundly, curled up in his covers with his hands under his pillow. She stepped in, closing the door quietly before walking over and sitting down next to his bed.

All she could hear was their steady breathing throughout the darkened room, though there was something a bit unusual about Soul's. Each breath came out almost hollow, a raspy sound coming out as he exhaled. With closer inspection, Maka noticed that his eyes were slightly… swollen. Had he been crying?

She felt determined to get her memory back, even if she had to stare at her supposed partner all night. She plunked her folded elbows at the edge of the mattress and rested her head on top of them, staring, almost glaring at him with her fiery eyes. _Omoidasu, Omoidasu, Omoidasu… Omoi… dasu…_

-skip-

Soul grumbled to himself as his eyes opened and the memories of yesterday came rushing into his mind. He didn't want to wake up, to face the day, to face school, to face… Maka?

He flinched back slightly after realizing who was beside him. Maka, with her elbows on the bed and head resting on her hands, slept peacefully at the edge of the mattress. He smiled lightly for a second, realizing what her intentions might have been. "Baka…" he whispered as he sat up on the bed, "Stop being so stubborn."

He lifted Maka gently, doing his best not to wake her, and lay her down on his bed, pulling the cover to her shoulder. He closed the window shades, grabbed his clothes quickly and left the room without a sound. With a piece of toast bread in his mouth, Soul left the apartment, a slight frown lingering on his face.

-skip-

A dark silence settled over the classroom as Soul stepped in. Their eerie gaze focused on him for a second before the chatter began again. As expected, Stein was late again. He sighed and walked over to his seat realizing that Tsubaki and Black Star were still staring at him. He sat down and glared at them tiredly. "What?" he mumbled.

"A-Ah, we heard what happened to Maka from Nygus-sensei the other day…" Tsubaki stuttered, "H-How is she?"

"… Fine, I guess…"

"I… see…" she muttered, turning to face the front as Stein came in. _Poor Soul-kun… It must be hard, seeing his meister like that…_

-skip-

Soul hardly paid any attention to the lesson Stein was giving, seeing as it was another dissection. His head lay against the desk, each of the teacher's words passing through his ears like air. The seat next to him was empty, something he wasn't used to. He couldn't believe it himself, but he actually kind of missed the nagging he heard each day from his partner…

"Soul-kun, may I talk to you outside please?" was the sentence that made him snap back into reality. He raised his head quickly, blinking for a second before nodding.

"H-hai…" he mumbled, getting up from his seat and making his way for the door. He could feel all of the students' curious and pitiful eyes drilling into the back of his head as he walked out of the room.

"Soul-kun, are you alright? You weren't paying attention in class today." Stein stated plainly. Soul looked down at the ground, scratching the back of his head.

"I'm fine, it's just… Maka forgetting her memory and all… I guess I've got too much on my mind to think straight." Soul admitted, putting his hands in his pockets. Stein stared at him for a moment before sighing.

"If it's distracting you that much, you can stay home until Maka starts remembering again, alright?" he offered. Soul looked up at him with a surprised expression before replied with a lazy nod. "Ah, and here's a tip." Stein grinned, "Try and think of something that could trigger Maka's memory. If she remembers one thing, everything else will come back to her much quicker."

"Ah, Alright…" Soul mumbled, walking down the hallway, away from the classroom. _Something… that could trigger it…?_

-skip-

"Um… Soul-kun? Is that you? If it is… could you help me with something?"

The familiar voice snapped Soul from his train of thought as he entered the house. It was odd to hear Maka end his name with 'kun'… He followed the voice that seemed to come from Maka's room, knocking on the door before opening it. "What do you… need…?" he could feel his face flushing as he stared. Maka's shirt was halfway up her torso, showing her full stomach and her back.

"Nygus-sensei said I had to change my bandages every two days, though I thought I'd change it earlier… But I need a little help putting the new ones on…" she explained, looking away from his face. The blush from Soul's face disappeared after he saw the scar. It was still fresh, the skin around the cut red and a bit swollen. He didn't want to count the number of stitches that he could see.

"Ah… could you stop staring? It's a bit embarrassing…" Maka grumbled. Soul snapped out of his trance and looked up at her.

"S-Sorry…" he stuttered, walking over and snatching the roll of bandages from her hand. He unraveled a bit and started to wrap her stomach, trying to keep his gaze from looking at the scar on her back. He finished wrapping her torso as quickly as he could, cutting the rest that he didn't use with scissors. "You know, you could have just asked Blaire to do it for you…"

"I know, but she was sleeping and you just walked through the door…"

"Ah…" he sighed, guilt shooting through his gut. He stood then, walking out of the room as she pulled her shirt back down over her torso. He stopped in the door frame. "Maka… I'm sorry…" and he left without letting her reply.

-skip-

Maka sighed as she walked into the kitchen, unaware that Soul was in the other room watching TV. She took out a pan and some vegetable oil and started to make dinner. The earlier events of the day rushed through her mind as she chopped vegetables, wondering why Soul had said sorry. Did he feel… responsible for her wound? What actually happened in that battle the other day…? As she pondered, she started to hum a song she herself didn't recognize. It was strangely familiar, though…

The song was rather eerie. It had an almost insane feel to it, but it soothed her as she hummed. Soul could hear her humming in the other room. For a second, he didn't realize what it was, but when he realized, it him like a bullet. He turned down the TV, hoping Maka wouldn't notice, and listened to the tune. A sentence ran through his head. _Try and think of something that could trigger Maka's memory… _"Maka! Stop making dinner!" he yelled from the living room. The sudden voice made her jump, but she stopped the stove.

"Eh? Why?" she asked.

"Just wait a second." She complied, waiting in the kitchen until Soul came in. It surprised her to see him in a suit and not wearing that strange headband he usually had. "I need to show you something." With that, he grabbed her elbow, heading out the door.

-skip-

"… Why are we here?" Maka's voice echoed through the dark room. He'd dragged her into the Shibusen Music Room, not explaining a thing even as she begged for the reason on the way here.

"You'll see." Soul grinned, flicking a switch on attached to the wall beside them. A light turned on suddenly, revealing a grand piano that stood on a platform. He dragged her over to the piano, sitting down and letting her go. "Just listen." He breathed, and he began to play.

A jolt ran through Maka's heart, realizing what the tune was. It was the same one she'd been humming in the kitchen earlier. She listened, letting each chord and note strum through her like her own heartbeat. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the song as she hummed along quietly. It was a quick song, one note after another, and yet… it was so… warm… and kind…

The last note of the song vibrated through the room. She still had her eyes closed when he turned to look at her. "Maka…" he said suddenly. Her eyes opened and she smiled lightly at him.

"That was a nice song, but… why'd you play it for me?" she asked, still in the trance of the melody. She was a bit startled when he outstretched his hand.

"Because… this is the kind of guy I am." A light flickered on in her head.

Memories suddenly started rushing into her mind, so quickly that it felt as if her head would explode. The first time they met, the missions and classes they'd had in the first semester of Shibusen, the time they defeated Blaire… it was all a blur to her.

"Oi, Maka, are you okay? Maka?" Soul asked frantically.

"What...?" It was then she realized that she was on her knees, clutching her head as if in pain. Soul's hands were on her shoulders, keeping her from shaking. She looked up at him, taking her hands off her head and smirking. "Oh, sorry. Tch, you put on quite the impression. I thought you were kind of smart, but you're actually a dunce." she grinned. He flinched in anger, but also because he realized she'd remembered.

"You shouldn't be talking. At least I'm not as forgetful as you." he shot back. Her eyebrow twitched as she pulled a book seemingly out of nowhere.

"MAKA CHOP." she yelled, the book slamming down on Soul's head, leaving a rather large dent in his head. Clutching his head in pain, he smiled.

"It's only been about two days, but… you have no idea how much I've missed that."

-skip-

Stein walked into the Yokano research lab with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He looked around the hallway after turning the light on. "Quite an old place, ne?" he whispered to himself. _That witch shouldn't be back for a while…_

Nothing seemed suspicious when he entered, but as he walked into the first room, he stopped. The room was dark as well, but his eyesight was already attuned to the lack of light. The room was essentially empty; empty tables and cupboards scattered around the room. The thing that caught his eyes was a lone book that sat on top of a stool. His curiosity getting the best of him, he walked in and picked it up. Opening the book, he began to read. They were… journal entries… and not just any journal entries. The cigarette hanging from his mouth dropped to the floor.

"Th-this is…"

Ooc/ To be continued! Sorry I didn't leave a note in the first chapter, but I just want to make some clarifications so no one is confused.

1. The break points in the first chapter were erased for some reason, but I hope some of you realized where the breaks are supposed to be. The –skip-s in this chapter are the breaks.

2. Anything sentences in the first chapter between i and /i were supposed to be italicized.

3. To clarify, Maka was asleep in the hospital room overnight and for half of the next day. That's why Class is still going on when she wakes up.

I think that's all… the 3rd chapter might take a little longer to write because I don't have a lot of ideas for it. Writer's Block, I guess… Oh, and thanks to those who reviewed and faved the first chapter. It's greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Moments Never Forgotten

Ooc/ Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater

**Ooc/ Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater.**

Beware of the major corny/cheesiness of this chapter. Your head might explode from fluff. O-o

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Shinigami-sama eyed the journal suspiciously as Stein held it in his hands. "Oh? What's this?" he inquired.

"It seems that Karasu cleared out that Research Laboratory of hers, but left something on the way out. It's quite sad, actually. This journal tells us everything that she's done in Yokano." Stein explained, opening the journal and flipping through it quickly as he spoke. "She's a strange witch, that one. Looks like she's able to change human Souls with her magic…"

"Change them? How…?"

"Says here that Karasu used her magic to temporarily 'kill' her patients so that their souls would appear, and she'd inject those souls with chemicals and mixtures she'd experimented with. Using her magic again, she was able to put their soul back into their body and bring them back to life. Her research is mostly filled with duds and dead ends, but…" Stein flipped to the back of the journal. "The last entry, which was the day before Maka and Soul's arrival, says that she's found what she was looking for, including her goal…"

Shinigami-sama's stance perked. "… What is her goal, then…?" he asked cautiously. Stein cranked the screw in his head a few times before answering.

"To make an army out of those souls… and wage war against Shibusen."

-skip-

The week passed by without much event, except for the fact that Maka hit Soul over the head with a book every few hours after remembering something he'd done to piss her off. Since Blaire was out of the house most of the time, Soul was usually the one who had to help Maka change her bandages. Though it was less awkward than before, the guilt that shot through Soul's heart whenever he saw Maka's scar didn't dissipate.

"Maka-chan is back! Ohaiyo Gozaimasu!" Tsubaki cheered as Soul and Maka walked over to their desks. Maka smiled back as she took a seat.

"Ohaiyo. Did I miss anything important this week?"

"Iie. We've only dissected animals this week." Tsubaki sighed. Black Star leaned over Tsubaki's shoulder with a scowl.

"You better not have forgotten about the great Black Star, Maaaaka. Ne? Did ya?" he prodded, eying her with a glare. Maka's smile dropped.

"Oh… no, I didn't forget about you. I only forgot about one person, so don't worry about it…" she mumbled, Stein coming in on his chair at just that moment. She bowed her head slightly, looking intently at a meaningless speck on her desk. It was only now that she wondered… why she'd only forgotten about Soul…

-skip-

As everyone walked out of class, Maka walked over to Stein, who was cleaning up another dissection they'd had. "Um… Dr. Stein?" she mumbled. He turned to her and blinked behind his over-sized glasses.

"Nandesu, Maka-chan?"

"Um… I was wondering if you'd know… why the only person I forgot about was Soul…" she asked, staring at her hand nonchalantly. Stein was silent for a moment before sighing.

"It's quite simple, if you think about it." he stated, continuing with his tidying as he spoke. "I guess you can't really understand because of your memory loss, so I'll explain. People usually lose their memory when they're in a tremendous state of shock, or their mind is confused. Soul usually boasts about how 'he's prepared to die for his meister', and he's actually protected you a number of times. During that last mission you two had, you were hurt. You were so used to Soul protecting you from those kinds of things that your mind was shocked beyond comprehension. Your mind works sort of like a computer. Too much information and it shuts down. Your mind was so overwhelmed with confusion that it erased whatever was causing it, in turn…" Stein poked the center of Maka's forehead, "… erasing Soul from your very being."

Maka stared blankly at Stein for a moment as he took his finger away from her head, taking in what he'd explained. "I think I understand… Domo, Dr. Stein." she thanked with a slight bow, turning and walking out the door.

"That took quite a while." the sudden voice made Maka jump, a small 'eep' escaping her mouth. "What was that about?"

Maka glared at Soul's slouched figure. "Nothing, and don't ever do that again."

"What again?"

"Maka chop…"

-skip-

"Soul, could you help me with my bandages again?" Maka called from her room. Soul sighed in annoyance, getting up from the couch. He walked into her room, picking up the roll of bandages that lay on the bed without a word.

"Can't you just wait until Blaire comes home?" he grumbled, starting to wrap her stomach.

"You know that she comes home late. I'm not staying up until midnight to get my bandages rewrapped." she shot back. He muttered incoherently under his breath. She was getting more annoying each day, but he was happy she was becoming the Maka he knew again. They sat in silence for a few moments as Soul wrapped her stomach. Maka was the first to break it. "Um... That thing today... when I was talking to Dr. Stein..." Soul's head perked up for a moment, "I asked him why I'd only forgotten about you, and he told me it was because... I was used to you protecting me. Even though I don't remember, I guess I just wanted to say thank you, and I don't blame you for my wound, okay?" she finished, and the room fell into silence. Soul's hands had stopped wrapping her stomach.

"... Soul?" Maka mumbled, turning around. She froze after seeing the expression on his face. His eyes were wide with shock and fear. She gave him a strange look. "Soul...?" she repeated. Suddenly, he dropped the roll of bandages and clutched his head, yelling out in what seemed like pain. She jumped back in fright.

_"She may not say it, but you know it was your fault, Soul. Your fault that she almost died. If you were more powerful, this would have never happened. Let me lend you the power you need so that this will never happen again."_

"Shut up!" Soul cried, "Shutupshutupshutup!" Maka wrapped her arms around herself as the air suddenly became thicker. It was almost seething with insanity.

"S-Soul, I don't know what's going on, but, stop this..." she grabbed his shoulders in a fatal attempt to calm him down. She could feel his arms trembling with fear. She closed her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth. "Soul... STOP!!"

_A flat piano note echoed through the room for a few seconds. Maka's eyes flew open when she realized she was no longer in her bedroom. Instead, she was on the floor, sitting on top of a very disoriented Soul. His eyes were still wide, his breath coming out as wheezing. They stayed like that for a few moments as Soul calmed down._

_"Jesus, Maka, you didn't have to jump me." Soul hissed after his breathing became normal. She coughed and stood so he could get up._

_"But... I didn't even know what happened..." Maka awed, looking around the room she was in. A single light shone down on the piano. The chair lay on its side from when she'd pushed him off. The room was decorated with red curtains, the floor made of black marble. "... Where are we?"_

_"My soul." he stated simply, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Maka looked over at Soul, opening her mouth to speak, but closing it after seeing what he was wearing. It was the same suit he'd worn the time he'd played the piano for her. She looked down at herself to see that she was wearing a dress. _

"_Your soul is strangely formal…" she grumbled. She looked up after hearing soft music crackling from an old record player. "Soul… what happened to you back there? Why did you freeze up and…" she trailed off when Soul reached his hand out to her._

"_Can I explain during a dance?" he asked, his face blank. Something clicked together in Maka's head as she grabbed Soul's hand. She was getting a sense of… déjàvu…_

_They danced for a few moments without a word, Maka getting impatient. "So? My question…?" Maka prodded. Soul sighed loudly._

"_There was a voice in my head telling me to gain more power. By power, it meant go insane. You don't remember asking me this, but you asked why I didn't want to get stronger. That's why." He explained. Maka nodded lightly, letting their dance continue. The slow pace of the song and their dance seemed to set a drowsy spell over her. She could already feel her eyelids drooping._

"_Ne, we've done this before, haven't we?" she yawned quietly, resting her head against Soul's chest and letting her arms hang around his neck. Her mind was too far gone to notice his heart skip a beat._

"_Kinda…" he mumbled. He let his head rest on top of hers. They danced like that for a few minutes, the aura of the music affecting them both. Soul took in a deep breath, the faint scent of shampoo present in Maka's hair. "Maka…" Soul whispered._

"_Mmm..?"_

"… _I…"_

"I'm kinda suffocating here. Geez, you're heavier than I thought." Maka jumped up from the bed, her eyes wide with surprise. Soul sat up, grumbling as he fixed his ruffled hair.

"W-was all of that real…?" Maka stuttered, still wide-eyed. Soul raised an eyebrow, replying with a nod. She blinked at him a few times before laughing nervously. "I-It's getting a bit late, ne? I-I'll go and make some dinner." She smiled awkwardly, leaving the room. Soul stared at the door, sighing.

"Baka… you always exaggerate…"

-skip-

The afternoon passed by drearily, hardly any words passing between the two. Dinner didn't seem to taste as good as it usually did. She wasn't sure if it was her cooking or the lack of conversation.

It was the middle of the night now, but Maka's eyes were wide open. Sleep wouldn't come, even though she felt like passing out. She listened to the steady ticking of the clock, matching her breathing with each second. Why couldn't she fall asleep? Was it because she felt guilty about acting strange today? Was it because she was wondering what Soul was going to say just before she left the piano room…? Maka sighed in annoyance as she sat up on the bed. Getting up, she dragged her feet over to Soul's room, opening the door slowly. She walked over to the bed and started to poke his shoulder. He grumbled and turned, squinting to see who'd woken him. "Naniiii?" Soul whined quietly.

"Um… Do you mind if I sleep in here tonight? I can't sleep in my room…" she asked. Soul squinted at her while he took the question in. He gave her a strange look.

"… Do you really think that's safe after what happened today?" he grumbled. Maka grabbed a book out of nowhere and held it up menacingly. He raised his hands in defence. "Okay, geez, you don't have to be so stubborn…" he shifted over to one side of the bed so Maka had enough room, turning over to face the window. Getting into bed, she put the book down and lay the opposite way of Soul, sighing and closing her eyes. His bed seemed so much more comfortable than hers…

-skip-

Maka squinted as the sun's morning rays shone into the room. She grumbled, looking at the clock that sat on Soul's Bedside table. Nine o'clock… It was the weekend, so she didn't have to worry about being late. She sighed, resting her head against the pillow. The blanket was surprisingly warm… Very, very warm… Her eyes shot open as she realized what it was. Soul's arms were wrapped around her waist, his face nuzzled in the crook of her neck. She blushed slightly as she felt his breath graze from his sigh graze her skin. She didn't want to wake him, so she tried her best to get out of bed without making a sound. Gently, she grabbed his wrist, lifting his arm so she could move away.

"Iieeeee…" Soul whined in his sleep, breaking his arm from her grasp and hugging her even closer than she'd been before. Maka sighed in defeat, resting her head against the pillow. _I guess I can stay a little longer…_

-skip-

It was almost eleven o'clock now, and Maka was folding laundry. She'd decided that how she acted yesterday was foolish, so she hadn't acted as awkwardly around Soul today. She'd still Maka Chopped him for what happened today, though he had no recollection of it. "Makaaaa!" Soul's voice called from a nearby room.

"Nani?"

"Are there any shirts in the laundry? There's none in my drawer…" he grumbled, walking into the room. She grabbed a shirt that sat on top of the dryer and turned around.

"Ah, he-" She stopped when she saw him. His chest was bare, but his skin wasn't what stopped her. She wanted to say something, but her mind was at a loss for words.

"What?" he frowned, realizing that she was staring. His heart panged in his chest. His scar… "Oh… it's nothing…" he stated simply, grabbing his shirt from Maka's hand and walking out of the room. She still stared out the door. She couldn't remember where that scar was from, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. It looked worse than the one she had. Was that scar… her fault? After a few minutes, she continued her folding, a sour expression plastered on her face.

-skip-

It was late in the afternoon. Soul was in the kitchen, cleaning up the dishes he'd used for dinner. Maka hadn't come out of her room since she put away the laundry. He stopped and placed a hand on his chest. For the first time since Maka lost her memory, he felt like he didn't want her to remember. He didn't want her to remember how he'd gotten that scar. He didn't want to see her in that guilty state again…

A pain suddenly shot through the top of his skull. The pain shot through his hands when he guarded his head with them. He turned, realizing that a book was the cause. "Why are you…" he stopped after seeing her face. Maka was glaring at him menacingly with her teeth gritted together, yet tears swelled and ran down her face. After a moment, she started whacking him with her book again.

"Baka, baka, BAKA! Why did you do that!?" she cried.

"Wh-what the hell are you talking about?" he stuttered as he blocked the book with his arms. She fell to the ground, dropping her book and covering her face with her hands.

"Why did you… take that hit for me? Why didn't you just let me take it? You… you could have been killed, Soul!" she sobbed, desperately trying to wipe her tears away. His breath caught in his throat when she'd answered him. Crap… he'd triggered her memory again. He kneeled down and grabbed Maka's shoulders.

"Baka, I'm here, aren't I? I'm not dead, so stop making a huge deal about it." He soothed, but she started crying even harder.

"But it feels like it's my fault! What if you did die, Soul? I wouldn't be able to live with myself… Why…" she shook his hands off her shoulders.

"Stop blaming yourself, okay!? I was the one who decided to guard you, so just let it go!" he argued back. She removed her hands from her face and gave him a sorrowful look.

"But why did you do it in the first place? Why did you give up your own life for mine? Wh-" Her words were cut off as Soul placed his lips over hers, his hands cupping her cheeks. If she'd been standing then, her legs would have probably given out. Blush painted her cheeks as she sat frozen, letting him drown her in his kiss. God, it felt good. It ended too soon, Soul breaking away, pecking her lips a few times before moving away. Her tears had stopped. He smiled at her blank expression.

"You gotta stop being so stubborn and thick-headed, you know? I love you."

-skip-

The weekend passed by in a flash. Soul and Maka acted normally around each other… most of the time. There were moments where they found themselves warming up to each other, such as Maka snuggling up to Soul when he was watching TV, or he stood a little closer to her than was needed while they made dinner.

"Ah! Soul-kun and Maka-san are here. Good morning!" Tsubaki smiled as they walked towards their seats. "How was your weekend?" Maka and Soul looked at each other for a moment. Maka turned to Tsubaki and smiled nervously.

"Oh, you know… same old, same old." She replied. Tsubaki's smile dropped into a concerned frown.

"Is something wrong, Maka-san? You don't seem like yourself…"

"Oh, no, it's nothing! It's just that the things I remembered recently are a little… shocking."

"Oh, I see…" she mumbled, Stein falling from his swivel chair as he entered the room.

"Yooooshi! Please open your textbook to page 86!"

-skip-

"Black Star… did you notice something odd about Soul-kun and Maka-san in class today? Maka-san was scolded for talking to Soul-kun during the lesson, and they were rather happy while working… Do you think they're…"

"Going out? Probably." Black Star cut in, "I went to their house yesterday, and the door was open, so I just walked in. Soul was sleeping on the couch with Maka under his arm." It was the end of class, so Maka and Soul had left the room already.

"Really…? Well…" Tsubaki paused bowing her head in thought. She looked up with a smile. "That's great, isn't it?" she smiled. Black Star scoffed.

"Crap… there's gonna be more rumours about them for a few days than there will be of me… Need to think of something drastic to increase my reputation…"

-skip-

"Eh? There's some new missions posted today…" Maka stated as they walked by the missions board. She stopped to look at the missions that were available. She hadn't gone on one in a while. Soul's arm slipped around her waist and his head rested on her shoulder.

"You sure you should go on a mission? What about your wound?"

"It's fine. Nygus-sensei said I should take it easy for a week, but it's been more than that now." She explained, her eyes drifting over the sheets of paper. Soul became silent, looking for a mission along with her. He went stiff after spotting a sheet in the middle of the board, the writing in bold print. _A witch named Karasu has been spotted in the town of Johane. Eliminate her as quickly as possible. Mission requirements: Soul Resonance/Soul Perception._

"Karasu…" he whispered to himself.

"Hm? You mean this mission?" Maka asked, ripping the sheet of paper from the board and bringing it closer to his face. "What about it?"

"She's the one… that gave you that scar…" his face was blank as he stared at the paper. Maka blinked at the sheet of paper, holding her hand over her stomach. With a determined expression, she slipped out of Soul's arm and walked over to the desk. She slapped it onto the desk and stared the woman sitting behind it in the eye.

"We'll take this one."

-skip-

"You didn't have to take that mission, you know…" Soul grumbled under his breath as they rode his motorcycle into Johane. Maka rested her head against his back.

"Baka. We lost that battle against her, right? We have to win a fight before it ends." She argued. Soul didn't reply, the silence settling over them as they got closer to the town. Maka could feel a Witch Soul Wavelength getting stronger as they got closer. She could already tell it was Karasu, though it was odd that she wasn't hiding her Wavelength. They rode into town, driving down the once-crowded streets of Johane. A bolt of memory shot through her mind. It was only for a split second, but she saw what Yokano had been when they'd gone. "… It's happening again…" she muttered under her breath. She felt Soul's shoulders become tense.

"You remembered?"

"Not really… just what the other town's streets looked like. They look the same as these ones." She explained. He nodded, his muscles relaxing. She pointed out a small building at the end of the street. "There's a witch Soul Wavelength coming from in there." She said. Soul smirked.

"Guess she learned from last time." He sighed. He parked his motorcycle by the house, jumping off and walking towards the door, Maka following behind.

"Soul." Maka mumbled. He stopped in front of the door, looking over at her and nodding. He changed into a Scythe, landing in Maka's hand. She twirled him a couple times before resting him on her shoulder. "Huh. You're lighter than usual." She pointed out. He chuckled.

"I guess our Soul Wavelengths are more synchronized, ne? Anyway, we'd better get going." Maka nodded, heading towards the door and pushing it open. Taking a step in, she looked around. Tables and cupboards were covered in books and bottled chemicals, a wall at the back of the room vandalized with writing Maka couldn't understand. A large jar in the corner contained about ten human souls. She opened her mouth, but something slammed into her before she could say anything.

"It seems that you've caught me in the middle of my research." Karasu hissed, holding Maka up against the wall.

"Maka!"

"Shut up, I know!" Maka wheezed, swinging her scythe and cutting Karasu's arm off at the elbow. She dropped to the floor, coughing and holding her throat. The witch glared at the meister, her arm forming a crow. It flew black to her, perching on her shoulder. It melted and crawled down her skin, forming her arm again at the elbow. Looking up, Maka could now clearly see the face of the witch.

"Stupid girl. I told you not to underestimate the power of a witch." She hissed. "Krrr, Crowww, Krrr, Crowww…" her arm formed a blade. As she stroke, Maka jumped out of the way, slicing her in half. The witch turned into a fray of crows. They started to peck at Maka's skin, causing her to fall to the ground and cover her head. She could feel their beaks pecking and ripping pieces of her skin.

"Concentrate, Maka!" Soul growled, making her snap out of her hopeless state. She swung her scythe through the air, the crows dispersing and forming Karasu again. Maka glared at the woman who gave her the scar.

"The only way to stop this damn hag… is to take off her head!" she scowled, holding her scythe up in the air behind her. "Soul!"

"Got it!"

"Soul Resonance!" They shouted simultaneously. A strong wind erupted from the two, causing Karasu to step back and guard her face with her hands. The force of their wavelengths made pages turn in the books and bottle crash off the tables. The shape of the scythe changed, forming a large, jagged weapon, angled in three different directions. "Demon Hunter!"

"Wh-" before Karasu could finish, her head was split from her body, hitting a wall and falling to the ground. Her body fell to its knees and onto its side. Suddenly, it began to melt, revealing a witch Soul.

"Don't underestimate Shibusen, bitch." Maka scoffed. She felt herself lose her balance, falling forward before Soul's arms caught her.

"Crap, we need to head back. You look like you went through a shredder." Soul sighed, lifting her up so she could find her feet.

"N-No, I'm fine. We need to get these souls back to…" She was cut off when Soul kissed her. She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into his lips. He didn't let it last long, unfortunately, as he could taste blood in her mouth. He let his lips linger over hers.

"Oi, baka, stop being so stubborn, okay?" She smiled lightly, letting her head rest against his shoulder. She'd remembered everything, including the fight. Her mind no longer felt confused and bloated. It felt… at ease…

"Thank you… I don't need to be stubborn anymore…"

Oooooooooooooo

THE END. YAAAAY. I'm so sorry for the crappy ending and if it sounds rushed. I had a couple problems after I wrote chapter 2. ..

-I just had my birthday (July 28th), so I had a lot of guests over and not a lot of time on the computer.

-Microsoft Word stopped working on my computer, so I had to finish chapter 3 on my dad's laptop, which I hardly ever get.

-I was brain-blocked and lacking inspiration.

Hopefully your mouth isn't fizzing from all the cheesy parts. Uh, the part with the piano was inspired by the song Falling In The Black by Skillet. YAY FOR SONGS xD Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and all comments are appreciateeeed


End file.
